This invention relates to steam cooking devices, and particularly to arrangements for condensing steam from the cooking chamber of a steam cooking device.
The advantages of steaming certain foods rather than cooking these foods by other methods have become well-recognized in recent years. For example, when meats are cooked under dry conditions, as when baked, the meat loses its intrinsic moisture and may become dried out and unpalatable. Further, vegetables contain certain valuable minerals which are retained if the vegetables are steamed rather than cooked by other means, such as boiling.
Current steam cooking devices utilize steam generated in a boiler to cook or thaw food. This steam is transported from the boiler to a cooking chamber where it is introduced into the cooking chamber by a conduit or the like extending from the boiler to an opening in the wall of the cooking chamber.
After the steam has been introduced into the cooking chamber, an outlet is typically provided to allow the steam to exit the cooking chamber so that the steam will not condense in the cooking chamber and drop onto the food. The outlet also provides a steam drain to allow the cooking chamber to remain at atmospheric pressure.